Noel Negele- A Poem

Spread Wide

Too dark for a full-moon night,

The streets outside howl like wounded skinny wolves

Strolling in Havana’s beach-watching streets,

Whistling about unlicensed alley-love 

As noon finds a tactful death—

And the gathering saloons swarming

With enticing jungle-dancing open-swilling legs,

Yes, this is the only way to live now

Dipped into a sea of luxurious sins

Cradled by lust, laughing at your mirrors

Laughing at your photographs for once you tried

To pretend to be sane—

She stuck her foot in my mouth

Poured tequila on her knee

And it dripped from her toes

To the back of my throat

And she whispered 

To my ear that life is a tragedy

Written by comedians—

And I was happy.